President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on the Federal Commission on School Safety report, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Evan Vucci / AP)

President Trump is prepared to hold the government hostage over the holidays.

After softening his tone a bit in the past few days, the President reaffirmed Thursday he will deliberately let a number of federal agencies run out of cash right in time for Christmas unless Democrats agree to use taxpayer dollars to build his long-promised border wall with Mexico.

Advertisement

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters after a closed-door meeting with Trump that the President had let him and other GOP leaders know he will not sign off on a stop-gap budget passed by the Senate that would keep the government running at current spending levels through February, sending lawmakers scrambling to avoid a partial government shutdown that goes into effect Friday at midnight.

“What we’re going to do is go back to the House and work with our members,” Ryan said.

Earlier Thursday, Trump fired off a string of tweets threatening to veto any bill that doesn’t meet his $5 billion wall cash demand — which appears increasingly unfeasible in light of united Democratic opposition.

The President also tried out a new nickname for the border barrier he used to say Mexico would pay for.

“The Democrats, who know Steel Slats (Wall), are necessary for Border Security, are putting politics over Country,” Trump tweeted. “What they are just beginning to realize is that I will not sign any legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has Border Security. U.S.A. WINS!”

Despite Trump’s claims of victory, 25% of the government will close down if a spending bill isn’t passed by Congress and signed by the President.

Thousands of employees at the departments of Homeland Security, Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Justice and Transportation would not receive paychecks as a result of such a shutdown — right in time for the holiday weekend.

The Senate passed the stop-gap bill late Wednesday, but with Trump’s affirmed opposition, the GOP-controlled House will be hard-pressed to approve it.

Democrats have repeatedly stated they won’t put up any funds to build a wall because they say it’s a waste of money and Trump’s insistence on building one is rooted in racism, not national security. The Dems have agreed to provide some cash — between $1.3 and $1.6 billion — for general border security and fencing repairs.

This go-around is likely Trump’s last shot at fulfilling his campaign promise to erect a behemoth barrier on the U.S. southern border, as Democrats take control of the House next month and will remain in power for the remainder of his presidency.

Advertisement

A Democratic aide closely involved in the shutdown discussions said even some Republicans have privately acknowledged building a wall is not necessary or even feasible.

“It used to work as a campaign slogan but it doesn’t work in Congress,” the source told the Daily News of Trump’s wall obsession. “It has devolved into some stupid, red meat talking point that doesn’t resonate.”